Trinity college board votes to cut ties with Israeli universities and companies

Decision follows student protests and taskforce recommendations; campaigners welcome move but criticise delays and ongoing ties

Protestors gatheried at Trinity Business School to greet board members as they arrived to vote on the recommendations of the Taskforce created following last May’s TCD Palestine encampment. Picture: SAM BOAL/Collins Photos.

Trinity College Dublin will cut ties with Israeli universities and fully divest from all companies based in Israel, following a board vote on Wednesday.

The move follows recommendations from a taskforce established as part of an agreement to end a student encampment on campus set up in solidarity with Gaza last summer.

The taskforce, chaired by former High Court president Mary Irvine, recommended that the university divest fully from all companies headquartered in Israel.

It also advised that Trinity should not enter into future supply contracts or new commercial relationships with Israeli firms, and should refrain from establishing new mobility agreements or institutional research collaborations with Israeli universities.

President of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union, Jenny Maguire, said students were relieved the university was “finally prepared to stand on the right side of history.”

However, she added it was regrettable that it took student direct action to force Trinity to acknowledge Israel’s genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, and that it took over a year to act.

The TCDSU also said it was disappointing that Trinity had not withdrawn from ongoing projects involving Israeli partners that provide military technology and training.

“This is a significant day for Trinity and for Irish-Palestinian solidarity, and reflects the resolve of student and staff campaigners”, said Dr David Landy, a member of Academia for Palestine (AfP) TCD and Assistant Professor in Trinity’s Department of Sociology.

“However, it is difficult to feel glad when Israel’s genocide in Palestine continues. Trinity’s delay in acting has led to the university entering into three new research projects with Israeli partners over the past year, some of which will continue until 2029.” 

“Nonetheless, every step towards rejecting the normalisation of Israel’s decades-long occupation, apartheid and genocide is to be celebrated.”